Idioms Flashcards
read between the lines
to try to understand someone’s real feelings or intentions from what they say or write. Ex.: It took me a while to get used to that, and read between the lines.
the tip of the iceberg
a small, noticeable part of a problem, the total size of which is really much greater. Ex.: These things aren’t exactly false, but they’re only the tip of the iceberg.
make haste (old fashioned)
hurry up
have egg on your face
If you have egg on your face, you look stupid because of something that you have done:
This latest scandal has left the government with egg on its face.
to breathe a sigh of relief or to heave a sigh of relief
to stop worrying because something bad is no longer likely to happen
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when she turned up.
to burn the midnight oil
to work late into the night
“I have spent hours burning the midnight oil…”
tenable
(of an opinion or position) able to be defended successfully or held for a particular period of time:
His theory is no longer tenable in the light of the recent discoveries.
The fellowship is tenable for (= lasts for) three years.
paint a bleak/rosy, etc picture of sth
to describe something in a particular way:
She paints a rosy (= happy) picture of family life.
paint a bleak picture (=say that the situation is not hopeful): The survey paints a bleak picture of an ill and ageing population.
to hog the limelight, to steal the limelight
It means to take the public attention more than you should
to put/set the record straight
to show that something which has been regarded as true is in fact not true
to tell the difference
to notice what is different between similar people or things
tell/see the difference between: How do you tell the difference between the kittens?
to have the best of both worlds
to have the advantages of two different situations
to face the music
to accept criticism or punishment for sth you’ve done to fit the description
a downward spiral
a situation in which something continuously decreases or gets worse
Her life was in a downward spiral as she battled depression and addiction.
to be over the hill (often humorous)
used for describing someone who is old and no longer useful or attractive
to be on the spot
to be at a place where an event is happening
to be in the running
to have a reasonable chance to be successful
to be up to the mark
to be as good as the usual standard
to be under the weather
to feel ill
to have a bumpy ride/time
to have a difficult time:
She’s had a bumpy ride at work over the last few months.
put your finger on sth
to know or understand something, and be able to say exactly what it is:
Something seemed to be wrong, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.
make a point of doing sth
to always do something or to take particular care to do something:
She makes a point of keeping all her shopping receipts.
sleep like a log
infml to sleep very well, without being woken by any noises:
I slept like a log – I didn’t even hear the thunderstorm.
It’s been a hard day’s night, I should be sleeping like a log.
get the wrong end of the stick
to not understand a situation correctly:
Her friend saw us arrive at the party together and got the wrong end of the stick.
go to great lengths
to try very hard to achieve something:
Some people go to great lengths to make their homes attractive.
He’ll go to any lengths to get what he wants.
blessing in disguise
something that seems bad or unlucky at first but causes something good to happen later:
Being laid off was a blessing in disguise – within a month I got a much better job.
rough and ready
simple but good enough:
rough and ready accommodation
finders keepers
said by a child who has found an object to the child who has lost it, to show that they intend to keep it
a diamond in the rough
A person or thing with exceptional qualities or characteristics that cannot be seen from the surface.
The new employee initially seemed to lack confidence, but after seeing how hard he works, we realized that he’s a diamond in the rough and is really a great asset to the company.
catch off guard
to surprise someone, esp. in a way that makes the person feel confused or uncertain:
The news caught her completely off guard – she didn’t know what to say.
The strength of the storm caught many residents by surprise.
the final straw (the straw that broke the camel’s back)
the last in a series of unpleasant events that finally makes you feel that you cannot continue to accept a bad situation:
Losing my job was bad enough, but being evicted was the final straw.
She’s always been rude to me, but it was the last straw when she started insulting my mother.
to bite the bullet
to force yourself to do something unpleasant or difficult, or to be brave in a difficult situation:
I hate going to the dentist, but I’ll just have to bite the bullet.
wreak havoc
to cause great damage:
A powerful tornado wreaked havoc on the small village.
The virus wreaked havoc on my computer.
hold water
If a reason, argument, or explanation holds water, it is true:
Her alibi just didn’t hold water.
hand in (one’s) notice
To give a formal notification that one is quitting or resigning from one’s job. Primarily heard in UK, Ireland. I’m planning on handing in my notice as soon as this project is finished.
draw the line
to put a limit on what you will do or allow to happen, esp. because you feel something is wrong:
I’ll do whatever my company asks me to, but I draw the line when someone asks me to lie for them.
play a joke/trick on sb
to confuse someone or cause problem for them:
I thought I heard something - my ears must have been playing tricks on me.
talk the hind leg(s) off a donkey
to talk without stopping for a long time
